Kimberly-Clark Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Kimberly-Clark Foundation broadly supports sanitation, child welfare and women’s empowerment initiatives in regions of the world where it has a business presence.
IP TAKE: The Kimberly-Clark Foundation tends to direct most of its global health funding to large international organizations, which leaves fewer opportunities for small organizations. It’s not an accessible funder, but it’s relatively approachable, so don’t hesitate to reach out with questions and ideas. If your organization is grassroots or even of medium size, pass on this funder unless this is an exact fit for your work. Lastly, it’s somewhat bureaucratic, so if your organization needs quick response or other types of funding under time pressure, this may not be the right fit.
PROFILE: The Kimberly-Clark Foundation is the philanthropic arm of American multinational paper and personal hygiene product manufacturer Kimberly-Clark. The foundation prioritizes regions in which it has an operational presence in its mission to be a “good employer, a good neighbor, and to support causes that provide essentials for a better life.” To that end, it supports programs and projects that “increase access to sanitation, help children thrive and empower women and girls.”
Grants for Global Health and Development
Kimberly-Clark’s global health giving primarily centers around sanitation and hygiene in developing countries. The foundation’s Toilets Change Lives initiative partners with NGOs such as Water for People and WaterAid to provide “sanitation services, access to clean drinking water, and hygiene education” in rural regions of Bangladesh, South Africa and Latin America. It has also helped deliver medical supplies to rural areas of Latin America and has supported malaria education and treatment in Kenya. Its awards largely support established INGOs in public health, such as the $2.5 million in grants to Unicef, and another $2.5 million to the Red Cross for global COVID-19-relief efforts.
Grants for Women and Girls
Kimberly-Clark’s social impact grantmaking focuses on improving the lives of those in need by working to “challenge stigmas and champion the progress of women everywhere.” The foundation’s current women and girls empowerment grantmaking revolves around the many obstacles females face in managing menstruation in poverty, such as access to hygiene products and poor bathroom conditions—both of which often lead to school-aged girls missing school and important educational opportunities.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $300,000 to $600,000 and are offered to only a handful of organizations. It primarily supports major international NGOs, such as UNICEF.
While the Kimberly-Clark does not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry, grant seekers should contact the foundation if they believe their organization’s work strongly aligns with the foundation’s grantmaking goals.
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